Why Learn Spanish: 5 Reasons to Learn the Language

There are a multitude of reasons why learning Spanish is something that every person should consider. It is believed that King Carlos V, a renowned polyglot, used to say: “I speak German to my horse, Italian to women, French to men, and Spanish to God”.

If that’s not enough reason for wanting to learn Spanish, what else could we add to it? Of course, we should also mention the fact that Spanish is one of the most spoken languages in the world, and it sounds really beautiful when spoken properly.

But if you need more convincing arguments, in this article, we’ve put a list of 5 reasons to learn Spanish.

It’s one of the most spoken languages in the world

It is estimated that Spanish is the mother tongue of more than 400 million people in the world, this is around 6% of the world’s population. If we consider the number of native speakers, Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world, even more than English.

It is the official language in 20 countries all around the world, and more than 550 million people can speak Spanish up to a certain competent degree. If we dive deeper, as a second tongue, it is the most popular in the United States and 15% of the citizens of the European Union speak Spanish either as a first or second language.

It has a brilliant future

Spanish is not an unpopular language… on the contrary, it is getting more popular every day. The number of people that speak the language has increased over the last decade. The British Council recently published a report that classifies Spanish as the second most important language the British citizens should learn, even before French, Arabian and Mandarin.

Moreover, it is estimated that the Latin population in the United States will be around 130 million by 2060. This means that the United States will be the biggest Spanish-speaking country in the world… even bigger than Mexico! This will increase the importance of the language in the world.

Improve your employment perspectives

Nowadays, knowing a second language is a valuable asset for both employees and companies. Companies are always interested in having people aboard that can help reach out to other countries, and Spanish is one of the most popular options because of the popularity of the language all around the globe.

Research has shown that Spanish-speaking countries offer excellent business perspectives, and many companies are willing to take advantage of this to invest. According to Forbes, the Latin American market has an acquisitive power of around 1.5 billion dollars. Companies all over the globe have their eyes set on Latin America, and having employees that can speak Spanish is a must.

So, if you want to have better work options, learning Spanish is an excellent choice. You can even learn Spanish online.

Spanish is relatively easy to learn

When you compare Spanish with other languages, learning Spanish for an English-speaking person is relatively easy, as long as you are willing to put in the effort required. Unlike languages like Chinese or Japanese, you don’t need to learn new alphabets, and you are not required to develop certain tones to speak.

Both English and Spanish have words that come from Latin, which makes certain words similar. Another advantage of the Spanish language is that words are written phonetically. This means less time learning complex orthographic rules, and you can achieve a good pronunciation just by reading what is written.

Also, you can find a lot of entertainment options that were produced in Spanish that you can use to improve your vocabulary. Good movies from the last 30 years have come from Spanish-speaking countries, like “El Mariachi”, “Diarios de motocicleta”, or the latest Netflix hit “La casa de Papel” (Money Heist). So, you can watch amazing movies and series while learning.

Also, Spanish-speaking people are kind and love to help. Your Spanish teacher will always be happy to help you improve and get better at the language, but this rule also applies to most Spanish and Latin Americans you will encounter.

Speaking another language has health benefits

We are not kidding, this is true. There have been different studies, including one from the Gante University in Belgium, that have proven that learning a second language can help in the prevention and delay of the appearance of several diseases, including Alzheimer’s. It also helps to slow the progression of dementia. Another study from the University of San Diego showed there is a correlation between speaking a second language and the appearance of dementia symptoms.

But there is more. If you are a parent, you are going to love this. Psychologists Ellen Bialystok and Michelle Martin-Rhee performed a study on bilingual kids and discovered they had a better capacity to solve problems than kids who only spoke one language.

This is clear evidence that speaking a second language can help improve global cognitive function.

So why learn Spanish at the end?

So, speaking one of the most popular languages in the world, a language that has a bright future, a language that’s relatively easy to learn and can give you better employment opportunities while giving you proven health benefits… is there a reason for NOT wanting to study Spanish?

No… speaking Spanish is something you should consider as it can improve many areas of your life. Best of all, if you put in the time and effort, you can learn Spanish on your own, with a little help from a Spanish tutor.

If you think you can’t learn Spanish, then this is the perfect time and place to do something to prove yourself capable. At italki, we have a vast number of Spanish teachers and tutors available for you, so you can have a one-on-one lesson. If you are learning to improve your employment opportunities, to enjoy the diverse Spanish shows available today or if you just want to learn the language used by Carlos V to speak to God, our Spanish tutors are here to help you. Book a free trial class, and get ready to learn the language spoken by more than 500 million people in the world.